THURROCK Council has been told it can't use Government transport funding to help reinstate the Gravesend to Tilbury Ferry.

Councillors on Thurrock's place overview and scrutiny committee received an update on the progress of efforts to restore the popular ferry after it ceased operating in March following the withdrawal of funding by Kent County Council and Thurrock Council and the exit of ferry operator JetStream Tours.

Speaking at the scrutiny committee meeting, the council's interim director of public realm, Paul Crick, said: "Since JetStream finished we've been working with the Thames Estuary Growth Board, which is collaboration of ourselves, Kent County Council and a range of partners to see what we can do to reinstate the ferry because there is a lot of public demand for it to come back.

"We've always been clear that there's no public funding towards it. It needs to run on a commercial basis.

"A study was commissioned in September to look at how a commercial model would work for the ferry to be reinstated. That work is ongoing. It was due to report at the end of November but it will be finished now in January."

Mr Crick added: "I've made clear our desire for the ferry to come back on a commercial basis. I've explored with the Department of Transport whether we could use any of our grant funding we've received for public transport provision towards the ferry and they've told us we can't, so it's very much with the consultants now to see how a ferry could operate."

The pedestrian ferry used used as a link for school children and residents who need to make the crossing for work without a tortuous road journey each day. The ferry carried 10,000 passengers each year.

Cllr Roy Jones.

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Earlier this year, Roy Jones, Independent councillor for Stanford East and Corringham Town, put forward a motion urging the council to do all it could to help restore the ferry.

The motion, which was unanimously approved, said: "We call on Thurrock Council to work with both central Government and Kent County Council to find a way to restore the vital historic Tilbury to Gravesend Thames River Crossing.

"We urge all parties to seek funding from community or other sources as to put in place a long-term plan for this infrastructure link between Essex and Kent."